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Friday, July 17, 2009

Did Michael Jackson use false names?

State and federal laws designed to curb prescription drug abuse make it illegal for doctors to prescribe drugs in the name of anyone but the intended user, and physicians found using pseudonyms have lost their medical licenses and faced criminal charges.

The prohibition on fake names may become a key issue in the investigation into Michael Jackson's death.

Sources close to the investigation told The Times that the performer had been prescribed drugs in the name "Omar Arnold" shortly before his death June 25.

The probe has focused on Jackson's use of drugs, and investigators are looking closely at the conduct of at least five doctors who wrote prescriptions for him.

Jackson had long used aliases in health matters, according to associates.

One person who worked closely with Jackson in the 1980s and '90s said Jackson's physicians filed his medical records under pseudonyms, including Omar Arnold, Joseph Scruz and Bill Bray, and used those names to schedule appointments and order tests.

Another longtime associate said Jackson's staff regularly picked up prescriptions for the performer under different names.